M 1000 INDIAN WELLS
Botic Van de Zandschulp (ATP No. 85) caused one of the biggest upsets of the day by eliminating Novak Djokovic (No. 7) from the Indian Wells Masters 1000. After two hours of play, the Dutchman secured a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory. With this loss, Nole (409-91) fell short of matching Rafael Nadal’s record for most wins in Masters 1000 tournaments since 1990. The Spaniard currently leads this category alone with a 410-90 record. Behind them are Roger Federer (381-108), Andy Murray (230-101), and Andre Agassi (209-73).
“Things have been different for me over the last two years. I’ve struggled to reach the level I want. From time to time, I have some good tournaments, but overall, it’s been a challenge for me,” Djokovic said after the defeat.
Van de Zandschulp, who will face Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo in the third round, had already made waves by knocking out Alcaraz at last year’s US Open.
At 37, Djokovic continues to push the limits of his extraordinary career. A sixth title in Indian Wells would have made him the tournament’s most decorated champion, surpassing Roger Federer, and would have also brought him to 100 career ATP titles. However, that milestone will have to wait.
“I regret my level of play, considering how I trained these past few days. I have no excuses for a poor performance. It’s never good to play like this, but congratulations to my opponent. It was just a bad day,” said the world No. 7.
Even with this setback, Djokovic’s legacy remains unparalleled. With a record 24 Grand Slam titles, 428 weeks as world No. 1, and a relentless pursuit of greatness, the Serbian legend continues to redefine the limits of the sport.